Friday, April 9, 2010

Calphalon Giveaway and BBQ Chicken & Ranch Mac 'n Cheese!

Have you ever heard of the Paleo diet? It's sort of a movement back to the diet of our ancestral caveman where you eat well, what a caveman would. Yep, what you're thinking is correct: no pop tarts, no froyo, not even cereal. Just plain ol' meat and veggies and some nuts for good measure. I suppose its kind of like a manly version of the South Beach diet.

{caption: this dish is not part of the Paleo diet}
Well, as much as I agree with the reasoning behind this diet, I just love me some sugar and some carbs. Hubby mentioned experimenting with this movement, and I felt myself shudder with caffeine-withdrawal-like shakes. The only thing that could calm my nerves? BBQ Chicken Mac 'n Cheese. Of course, I made this for myself while he was away which actually left me wanting to adapt a caveman diet. Leaving me home alone with a vat of mac 'n cheese is never smart.

Don't fret. This dish isn't all bad for you. I try to use quinoa pastafor almost all my pasta dishes now. It's super high in protein, gluten free and all around tasty nonetheless. Though this has to be one of my top 5 recipes, it ended up being a clear the pantry, spur of the moment meal I cobbled together with some leftovers (shredded bbq chicken, corn and beans). The corn and beans were an interesting addition, though the mac 'n cheese purist in me will probably leave them out next time. Now, on to the exciting stuff....a free Calphalon wok!

Thanks to the good folks at CSN Stores who have everything from Corner TV Stands to Le Creuset, to mattresses, I got to pick out a fun prize for my readers! Because I'm such a lover of Asian food, I chose this sweet Calphalon 13" Flat Bottom Wok. I actually selected this prize because I have this wok and love it.

Comments are now closed for this contest. Thanks to all who entered. I will be announcing the winner shortly!!

Open to U.S. residents only. If you don't have a blog, please leave your email address so I can contact you if you're the winner. The winner will be chosen randomly by Random.org on Tuesday, April 13th - 9pm Pacific. Good luck!!

BBQ Chicken Mac 'n CheeseRecipe by SharonI made this for myself so the measurements are kind of weird. For a bigger group, double the recipe.

1. Melt butter over medium heat until almost bubbling. Add flour and stir until smooth. Gradually add milk and broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for about 2 minutes or until smooth & thickened. Reduce heat.

Sharon, your recipe looks and sounds delicious. As a matter of fact, you have a lovely blog and I'll be back often to see what else you've been cookin'. I hope you are having a wonderful day. Blessings...Mary

Hi there! I just started eating Asian dishes very recently - for some reason I was always a little scared but my favorite thing right now are lettuce wraps and California rolls. The wok would be great since I really want to start experimenting with stir fry.

Did your mother give you that wok? I'm guessing she did because it's my favorite as well, and I certainly didn't buy it for myself.

As if you didn't know, my favorite dish is Beef and Broccoli, either from a dive Chinatown joint, or my own wok. But I'm not entering the contest, in order to maintain the legitimacy of your blog. Keep cooking, Shar! Puts a smile on your face, even if there is kitchen drama :)